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  • Punished by Rewards

  • The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes
  • By: Alfie Kohn
  • Narrated by: Alfie Kohn
  • Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (103 ratings)
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Punished by Rewards

By: Alfie Kohn
Narrated by: Alfie Kohn
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Summary

The basic strategy we use for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarized in six words: Do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in much the same way we train the family pet.

Drawing on a wealth of psychological research, Alfie Kohn points the way to a more successful strategy based on working with people instead of doing things to them. "Do rewards motivate people?" asks Kohn. "Yes. They motivate people to get rewards." Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished by Rewards presents an argument unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

©1993 Alfie Kohn (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A clear, convincing demonstration of the shortcomings of pop-behaviorism, written with style, humor, and authority." ( Kirkus)

What listeners say about Punished by Rewards

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Eye-opening and insightful evidence-based book

This is one of those books that confirms a suspicion that you can't quite articulate. I read this after reading one of Alfie Kohn's other books 'Unconditional Parenting', which I absolutely love. When it comes to parenting advice, I have learned to only trust the writings of those authors whose works are backed up by actual research, rather than solely opinion based. Alfie Kohn's books are all meticulously researched and many research studies are cited in the book. You just can't ignore the evidence that punishments and rewards are detrimental to intrinsic motivation, and have no place in the classroom, or home. I am fairly terrified at the prospect of sending my child, who has such a beautiful and natural love of learning, to school, for fear that stupid incentive programmes will gradually destroy this natural urge to learn. I am seriously considering home education as a result of reading Alfie Kohn's books among many others that address issues around how our education systems are formulated.

Having said that it's strongly evidence-based, the book is not at all dry. Alfie Kohn has an excellent sense of humour which really comes across and makes this an immensely readable book, anyone who's seen his youtube videos will know this. It's fantastic that the author himself narrates the book as his dryness really comes across.

Like 'Unconditional Parenting', I feel this book is a must-read for all parents, teachers and those with an interest in raising children, although its principles are also applied to businesses and organisations. It might be an uncomfortable read for those who have relied on punishments and rewards but it's never too late to change.

I was so happy to find this as an audiobook as I have very little time for 'actual reading' but can listen to audiobooks while working.

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3 hours left and still no alternative to rewards

one person can tolerate hearing the same argument only so many times. no more please!

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3 people found this helpful

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Balanced, clear and practical

I will certainly use the introspection tools mentioned at the end of each chapter in my day to day life.

The book itself conveys a nice balanced ethic, individuals are given the highest respect through treating them as a reason in themselves, and therefore reasoning with them.

It is almost an incidental fact that the first half of the book is dedicated to pointing to the huge amount of evidence from both laboratory studies and real-world interventions that show the harms done by rewards; specifically framed in such a way as to be conditional. The manifold harms stem from reducing intrinsic motivation, shifting the locus of control away from the praised person, reducing the passive person's attention to a very narrow single goal orientated view and even worse the reward-giver stands to gain more by yielding unbalanced power over the praised than the praised is likely to gain from receiving the praise.

I think this book is a must-read for anybody wanting to encourage and foster mutually respectful and productive relationships with persons of any age (older or younger).

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Excellent read for teachers, parents and employers

A quite long audiobook with very valuable information, made pleasant to listen by the exceptional narration of Alphie Kohn. He knows how to present all the information in a clear but funny manner. Excellent audiobook.

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What you thought you knew about rewards but didn't

It's a bit long and repeats itself at times, but really drives the point that rewards in any shape or form aren't good for intrinsic motivation and the impact that has on various aspects of our lives. Recommend!

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Ready to have your world turned upside down!?

Amazing book, great research and a polemic against the Behaviourist and increasingly culturally embedded dogma of Carrots and Sticks being our only options for Motivation. Paying Attention and Promoting Intrinsic Interest in everything is the key. Game Changer.

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A must read for anyone hoping to use respectful upbringing, teaching and/or management

I read the book 7 years ago. I couldn’t agree with and support this approach any more. Rewards & punishments annihilate any chance of humans feeling motivated or moved to do things. A must read.

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    4 out of 5 stars

A revelation

This has such an important message that needs implemented in Education. I think this book could have done with a good editor as some of the points are over laboured. I know he is keen to back up his views but a bit long winded. Still well worth a listen, really interesting and I am changing how I use praise.

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extremely thought provoking - something for every parent, teacher and manager.

this is one I will listen to on repeat to put in to practice what I have learned here.

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outdated

the sudden and unexpected change of narrator at chapter 10 is jarring and for no apparent reason as the book later reverts back to the original author. the book is repetitive in places, refers back to already covered points several times and could definitely be more concise overall. outdated and offensive terminology used in chapter 12, "retarded children" and "mentally disabled", this really should have been updated to use more appropriate terminology

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